What the Fabians? - DA / Order Thoughts

[Goddlefrood]

No: HPFGUIDX 168240

> > Pippin:
> > ... names of the Order members, many of which are 
> > associated with the Fabian Society. 

> dan:
> Of course, Rowling has talked about Nesbit a few times 
> as an influence, as her greatest influence <SNIP> The 
> Order does > indeed represent the Fabian society. The 
> DA, however, reflects something more passionate and 
> confrontational. Exactly my point.

Goddlefrood:

This had caught my eye t'other day and had me wondering a 
little :-?

The Fabians, other than obviously having that nomenclature 
also had one Emmeline Pankhurst, the suffragette, Frank Podmore, 
who suggested the original name of the Society, and probably, 
although largely coincidentally, some others with names alike 
to some in the Order.

There have been throughout the life of the Fabians several 
thousands of members, so that link to the Order could well be
of little consequence. If it is, and with the underlying tenet
of the Fabians being originally, but admittedly not so much 
later, (although to an extent) the research, discussion and 
publication of Socilaist ideas. It developed later to include 
the promotion of a policy of gradual change as opposed to 
revolutionary change. My opinion of it is that it has largely 
failed in that too. The main thrust behind changes in the UK 
after WWII in particualr was due to the consensual political 
system that prevailed during the 40s, 50s and 60s, and which 
there appears to be a movement back towards with "New" labour 
and its, for want of a better word, ideals having moved more 
to the centre to appease the more conservative members of 
British society (that's not the party led by one D. Cameron, 
btw ;))

The Order has not yet been shown, and may never be, to have 
not operated in a fairly revolutionary manner. It certainly 
was revolutionary in the sense that, while acting for the 
same purpose as the MoM (at least I hope so :)), it did take 
a differing path to fulfil that aim. Quite radical really, 
IMO.

If anything, and this is also my opinion naturally, the 
underlying political tenet, if any, in the books is rather 
more liberal, with the Ministry impressing me as having a 
somewhat laissez faire attitude, unless pressed to action 
as it currently is ;), and also had been quite clearly at 
points during the first rise of Voldemort. Thinking 
particularly here of the powers granted to the Aurors by 
Barty Snr and the imprisonment without trial, and I've 
stated that before in the list, of Sirius. 

These essays have been of interest, but I must say that I 
do not really think JKR is trying to suggest any particular 
political belief system to her readers.

The DA too has not come across as any more active than the 
Order, IMO it is simply because we see nearly everything from 
Harry's PoV, or have done up to now, that this view might be 
reached.

I'd wager that in its time, and especially during the course 
of Voldemort's first rise, the Order was every bit as active 
and ran in where angels feared to tread, so to speak, as the 
DA does or has. The Order was certainly not slow once on the 
scene to wrap up the confrontation at the DoM (largely through 
DD at the end admittedly), and they patrolled the school 
corridors on the night DD and Harry left Hogwarts, without 
the DA apparently knowing :-)

I'm certainly not about to go and join any passive or agressive 
protests due to any perceived message in the books so far, not
that that would be a great idea anyway, living as I do under a 
military regime curently, with a "Safety Decree" in effect ;).
Not sure whose though, theirs of the populaces, but I digress.

The above are brought in as observations only, nothing more.

Goddlefrood aka Hubert Bland for the evening, far from bland 
guy, great Fabian and monocle wearer :-B